Calcechew/Levothyroxine

[Redwind]

As I am about to start a prescription of Calcechew (Vit D/Calcium), I decided to read through the patient notes. Levothyroxine which I take daily is listed as one of the drugs which react so it says they should be taken at least four hours apart. Surely this is something the doctor or pharmacist should have mentioned or am I expecting too much!

[HeronNS]

You are expecting too much! I take prednisone for polymyalgia, and for the first three months I took my calcium supplement with my pred, when I was at my highest dose and when pred can have the greatest effect on bones. Found I shouldn't be only through reading the forums and it got mentioned. Calcium is actually a problem with a lot of things so I think unless advised otherwise it should be taken away from medications and away from some other elements, like iron, although I think it's okay with vitamins.

Also take Vitamin K2 (not K1) for bone health, unless you are on a warfarin type blood thinner.

[Nanaedake]

Yes, one of my doctors thought you could take levothyroxine with food. Today, a new pharmacist checked that I know not to take levothyroxine with Adcal. Its the first time that's ever happened. I have to applaud the European health care staff, that I've received service from, for their diligence. It's the second time I've had exceptional customer care. It should be the norm in the UK but it isn't.

[Redwind in reply to Nanaedake]

I often wonder what GPs check when they issue new medication. We have a small Boots pharmacy in our town with hardly the same pharmacist day by day. They are always so busy that I don’t suppose they have time to check.

[Nanaedake in reply to Redwind]

This was a busy Boots pharmacy so you never know!

[Megams in reply to Nanaedake]

~I have never been able to take my levothyroxine on a empty stomach due to the sensitive nature of my gut - I take it after food and we eventually got the readings right ~

[Redwind in reply to Megams]

I have my annual blood test for my thyroid so will see if my readings have changed bearing in mind the new meds.

[Kaarina]

I was never told that either! I did not take the Calcechew for long though as I did not like them and with the GPs agreement, I am only prescribed Vitamin D now as the GP agrees with me that I get enough calcium daily through my diet.

[1967je]

I wasn’t told either and only found out from reading the instructions. I now take levothyroxine in the morning and calcium/vitamin D just before my evening meal.

[Bev53-SB]

I take liothyronine twice daily, iron tablets and cacit D3 twice daily. Liothyronine shouldn’t be taken with iron tablets or with cacit D3. A 3-4 hr gap between them is recommended. It’s quite a juggling act and I find I am taking medication every 3-4 hours. Neither doctor or pharmacist told me about these drug interactions, I had to do my own research. However I have been on this regime for years so it has become a way of life, but I agree it would be helpful if drug interactions were pointed out at the time of the first prescription. It just shows how proactive we all need to be and how valuable it is to have the opportunity to share information on this website.

[Redwind]

Yes I agree. I take other medications, some only recent. So will be rereading all patient information. Having been given the diagnosis of osteoporosis in a phone call after a spinal X-ray, I am making a list of points to bring up with GP when I have a face to face appointment.